1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to a method of playing a card game, and more particularly to a method of playing a modified version of Twenty-One, wherein multiple players simultaneously play a front hand and a back hand, the front hand having one less card than the back hand, with the object of arranging the cards in both hands to come as close to twenty one as possible, without exceeding twenty one, while at the same time maximizing the value of the front hand.
2. Description of the Background Art
The game of "Twenty-One" has been a staple in most casinos worldwide for a number of years. The objective of Twenty-One is to have a hand where the sum of the designated values of each card in the hand comes as close to the number twenty one, without exceeding it. The hand which equals, or achieves the sum closest to twenty one, without going over, is designated the winning hand. Losing hands are deemed to be all hands having a lesser sum than the winning hand, and all hands which exceed the sum of twenty-one. It is also possible to have tying hands in the game of Twenty-One.
The conventional method of playing Twenty-One involves one or more players competitively wagering their hands against the hand of a dealer. In Twenty-One, a standard deck of playing cards is used where the cards are assigned the following point values: King, Queen, Jack--10; Ace--1 or 11 depending on which value is most beneficial to the card hand; 2 through 10--their numerical value. After placing wagers, the players are initially dealt two cards face-up and the dealer is also dealt two cards, one face-up and one face-down. The players must next gauge their chances of beating the dealer's hand based upon the values showing on their two cards and the value showing upon the dealer's face-up card. At this point, the players may take additional cards from the dealer until either they choose to "stand" or else until the sum of all their cards exceeds twenty-one. The dealer may then reveal his face-down card and take additional cards, depending on the rules of the casino. Upon comparison, if the player's sum is higher than the dealer's sum, without exceeding twenty one, the player wins and collects from the dealer. If the player's sum equals the dealer's sum, a tie is declared and the player keeps his wager, but also does not collect from the dealer. If the player's sum is less than the dealer's, or else exceeds twenty one, the player loses and must surrender his wager to the dealer.
The conventional rules of playing Twenty-One as previously described, have been subjected to many variations, depending usually upon the customs or rules of the casino in which the game is played, or else upon the demand for a particular variation imposed by the players. Most of these variations involve modifications upon the conventional method of playing Twenty-One where the dealer's single hand competes against the player's single hand.
However, variations of the game of Twenty-One involving play with multiple hands, are also known. One well known multiple-hand variation is known as "splitting pairs", where if the player's first two cards dealt comprise a pair, the player may split the pair into two separate hands, where each card of the original pair serves as the original card of each hand. The player may then play each card of the original pair as separate hands according to the conventional rules of Twenty-One.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,429 issued to LaVasseur on Oct. 13, 1992, discloses another multiple-hand variation of twenty-one, where the dealer plays two or more twenty-one hands, against each player's individual, single hand. The dealer's first card is turned face-up and the players may place a first, second, third, or additional bet. The dealer plays his first hand against the singular hands of the players, and winning players' wagers are paid and losing players' wagers are collected, but only relative to the players' first bet. The dealer then discards his first hand except for his original face-up card, and then using the face-up card, the dealer deals himself a second hand according to the conventional manner of playing Twenty-One. The dealer's second hand is then compared to each player's original first hand. Again, winning players' wagers are paid and losing players' wagers are collected, but only relative to the players' second bet. This multiple hand variation can then be played for as many rounds as the players or dealer desire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,049 issued to Tomaszewski on May 7, 1991, discloses a modified Version of twenty-one where a player and dealer each are dealt five cards from a deck of 54 cards which comprises a standard deck plus two Jokers. Each Joker has a numerical value of 7, face cards and 10's count as zero, Aces count as one and all other cards have their ordinary value. The player may discard and draw up to two cards, while the dealer must discard and draw cards based on preestablished criteria. The player and the dealer then play upon their individual, single, hands. Between the player and the dealer, whoever has a three-card combination closest to twenty-one, without going over, wins the hand. In the event of a tie, the tie is broken by ranking the hand according to the particular cards which add up to twenty one.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,579 issued to Griffiths on Dec. 29, 1992, discloses a modified method of playing twenty-one in which an additional wager is added to a conventional Twenty-One game, the additional wager being placed on whether the dealer will bust his or her hand or will achieve a hand of exactly twenty-one. The rules of the game are conventional in all other respects.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's claimed invention.